High speed computerized tomography imaging system

Abstract

A high speed tomographic x-ray imaging system comprises an array of x-ray sources disposed opposite a closely spaced array of x-ray detectors. Small groups of sources in the array are simultaneously pulsed to provide x-ray transmission data along a number of ray paths through a body undergoing examination. X-ray energy from each source in the array is collimated to illuminate only a small sector of the detector array. High speed, unambiguous x-ray transmission information, is thereby produced.

The invention claimed is: 
     
       1. In a high speed, tomographic, x-ray imaging system of the type comprising an array of x-ray sources disposed about a body undergoing examination; an array of x-ray detectors disposed about said body opposite said array of x-ray sources; means for the collection of data produced by said detectors; and means for sequentially pulsing said x-ray sources, the improvement wherein: said system further comprises collimating means disposed between each of said x-ray sources and said body, said collimating means being adapted to confine the emission of x-ray energy from each x-ray source into an x-ray beam which illuminates only a fraction of the x-ray in said insaid x-ray detector array; and   said means for pulsing said x-ray sources are adapted to simultaneously pulse salvos of said x-ray sources, each of said salvos comprising at least two selected x-ray sources in said array, the particular x-ray sources in each of said salvos being selected so that each source in a salvo illuminates a separate and distinct fraction of said x-ray detectors, and   said means for detecting said x-ray sources are adapted to be activated in concert with the pulsing of the corresponding x-ray source salvos, and   said means for the collection of data are adapted to receive the data produced by said activated detectors.   
     
     
       2. The improved imaging system of claim 1 wherein said array of x-ray sources is a substantially semicircular array. 
     
     
       3. The improved imaging system of claim 2 wherein said array of x-ray detectors is a substantially semicircular array. 
     
     
       4. The improved imaging system of claim 1 wherein said array of x-ray detectors is substantially a semicircular array. 
     
     
       5. The improved imaging system of claim 1 wherein said x-ray detectors are ionization chambers. 
     
     
       6. The improved imaging system of claim 1 wherein said collimating means are further adapted to confine the emission of x-rays emerging from each of said sources into a substantially planar, fan-like beam. 
     
     
       7. A method for generating tomographic image data from body structures comprising the steps of: disposing an array of x-ray sources about said body structures;   disposing an array of x-ray detectors about said body structures opposite said array of x-ray sources;   collimating x-ray energy from each of said sources into a beam which illuminates only a fraction of said x-ray detector array; and   simultaneously pulsing a subset of x-ray sources in said array, the sources in said subset being selected so that x-ray energy from each said simultaneously pulsed sources illuminates a separate and distinct fraction of said x-ray detectors, whereby x-ray transmission data along a plurality of ray paths is obtained in a fast and unambiguous manner.   
     
     
       8. The method of claim 7 comprising the additional step of sequentially pulsing additional subsets of x-ray detectors in said array, the individual detectors in each of said additional subsets being selected so that x-ray energy from each of said detectors in a subset illuminates a separate and distinct fraction of the detectors in said array.